Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-02-17

Murat Halstead the Victim-Interesting
Reportorial Experience

w "A - UOIAESs
Murat Halstead the yietim-Interesting
Reportorial Experience.
81 don't know that / can say any,
thing that win be of Interest," said
Henry Wattorson to reporter as he
and John Russell Young did penance
for the Clover Clubs dinner over bot
tie Of ginger ale in the Union League
cafe to-day. Il have about worked
myself dry in the columns of the Cour-
fer-Journot since | returned from Eu-
rope, and Ihave taken week holiday
to give its readers a rest. | think in
terviewing newspaper man is like
carrying Goals to Newcastle. Once in
a while, however, think good inter-
view quite healthy, and | always was
OF an accommodating disposition.
"A few years ago Murat Halstead,
Horace White, and myself went to Ros-
ton to hear Carl Schurz deliver his ora
ton on Charles Sumner 1t was right
after Summers death, and Mr.. Schurz
was one of our party. On our way
back to New York we picked up Sam
Bowles at Springfield, Mass, and he
accompanied us TO New York, where we
had little dinner party at the Bre-
WORT House. While the dinner was
in progress and the most intricate
problems of National Government were
being solved, word was brought in that
a representative of the New York
World desired to see Mr.. Watterson.
II went down into the hotel Office
and there found little baldheaded
man, who said his name was Oxford
He asked me if my name was Waiter
son, and ] promptly told him it was
not. | politely informed him that Mr..
Watterson was engaged and could not
be disturbed / told him my name was
Halstead and expressed my willingness
to accommodate him if could. Mr..
Halstead was at that time agitating the
coinage Of silver and-well, | inter-
viewed Mr.. Oxford. | denounced the
Silver bill in mmeasured terms.
spoke vigorously in favor of increased
gold coinage, and expressed the opin-
ion that greenback currency was the
backbone Of financial prosperity. /
acclaimed against Capitalization, and
declared in fayorof State rights. There
was not an expressed opinion of Mr..
Halstead's | did not reverse, and when
the reporter left me he was full up to
the neck with facts. The next day the
World had two-column interview with
Murat Halstead that just made Mr.
Halstead wish he had never been born.
He wrote to the editor denying that he
had seen or spoken to a World reporter
or any other reporter, and that the
whole interview was fabrication. The
World published his denial with the fol-
lowing editorial comment: When the
World reporter interviewed Mr. Hal
stead yesterday Mr.. Halstead had Just
been dining with Mr. Watterson. For
a long time expected Halstead to call
me out. but he finally forgave me.
The first piece of reporting l did
was for Forney's Press" said Mr..
Young. at was an account of the re-
ception of John Browns body at the
old Philadelphia, Wilmington & Balti-
more station. George Alfred Town
send and ! used to do Select and Com
mon Council for the Press along in 1860
and 1867. | got 81 week and Town
send got IS. Watterson was Washing
ton correspondent of the Press at the
time and got about $50 a week.
Yes. that's about the figure said
Mr. Watterson, "and | used to write
some pretty good letters, too-letters
that We're pretty extensively copied all
over the country
"Now, the first editorial work | ever
did,, added Mr.. Watterson, ''was on
the Cjaeroniqn, the official journal of
the old Episcopal Academy, al Juniper
and Locust streets. Old Dir. Hare was
Principal OF the academy, and charm
ing man he was. too. | had for asso-
ciate Editors Ed. N. Benson, now
President Of the Union League, and
George c. Thomas Of the firm of Drexel
Il Co. Frank Mclaughlin printed the
paper in his printinr-oiiice in Thir,
street, between Chestnat and Walnut
streets. That was III 1855 ara 1856
Mr.. Wattersen changed his drink
and resumed his "reminiscences: The
hardest work | ever did said he, '.vas
two months for ti0 a week and two
months for s15 week. That four
months work, however, ultimately net
ted me $4,000. Il was right after the
War, and was employed as editorial
writer for the Nashville 8Gl3ner, which
had been completely Frustrated by the
War. | nut in the hardest work | ever
did in those for month. and built the
paper up IN recognition of my SER
vices ! was presented with one-fourth
interest in the piper. which ! afterward
sold for $4,000. -thiicssphja Bcs-
patch.